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{{Short description|City in California, United States}}
{{Infobox Settlement
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
|official_name = Piedmont, California
{{Infobox settlement
|settlement_type = ]
|image_skyline = | official_name = Piedmont
|imagesize = | settlement_type = ]
|image_caption = | image_skyline = Wetmore House (Piedmont, CA).JPG
|image_seal = | imagesize =
| image_caption = The 1878 historic Wetmore House in central Piedmont
|image_map = Alameda_County_California_Incorporated_and_Unincorporated_areas_Piedmont_Highlighted.svg
|mapsize = 250x200px | image_seal =
| image_map = Alameda_County_California_Incorporated_and_Unincorporated_areas_Piedmont_Highlighted.svg
|map_caption = Location in ] and the state of ]
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| map_caption = Location in ] and the state of ]
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|subdivision_type2 = ] | pushpin_map = California#USA
|subdivision_name = ] | pushpin_map_caption = Location in California
| coordinates = {{coord|37|49|N|122|14|W|region:US-CA|display=inline,title}}
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|area_total_km2 = 4.4
| established_date = January 31, 1907<ref>{{Cite web
|area_total_sq_mi = 1.7
|url = http://www.calafco.org/docs/Cities_by_incorp_date.doc
|area_land_km2 = 4.4
|title = California Cities by Incorporation Date
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|area_water_km2 = 0 |format = Word
|publisher = California Association of ]s
|area_water_sq_mi = 0
|access-date = March 27, 2013
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|elevation_m = 100 |url-status = dead
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20141103002921/http://www.calafco.org/docs/Cities_by_incorp_date.doc
|population_as_of = 2000
|archive-date = November 3, 2014
|population_footnotes =
}}</ref>
|population_total = 10952
|population_metro = | leader_title = ]
| leader_name = Teddy King
|population_density_km2 = 2489.1
| unit_pref = Imperial
|population_density_sq_mi = 6442.4
| area_footnotes = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2019">{{cite web|title=2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2019_Gazetteer/2019_gaz_place_06.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=July 1, 2020}}</ref>
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| elevation_footnotes = <ref>{{Cite GNIS|1659383|Piedmont}}</ref>
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| population_total = 11270
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|blank_info = 06-56938 | population_as_of = ]
| population_footnotes = <ref name="CensusQuickFacts">{{cite web|title=U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Piedmont city, California|url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/piedmontcitycalifornia/PST045219|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=September 26, 2021}}</ref>
|blank1_name = ] feature ID
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| postal_code = 94602, 94610, 94611, 94618
| area_code = ]
| website = {{URL|www.ci.piedmont.ca.us}}
| footnotes =
| leader_title1 = ]
| leader_name1 = {{Representative|casd|9|fmt=sleader}}<ref>{{Cite web
|url=http://senate.ca.gov/senators
|title=Senators
|access-date=March 18, 2013
|publisher=State of California}}</ref>
| leader_title2 = ]
| leader_name2 = {{Representative|caad|14|fmt=sleader}}<ref>{{Cite web
|url=http://assembly.ca.gov/assemblymembers
|title=Members Assembly
|access-date=March 18, 2013
|publisher=State of California}}</ref>
| leader_title3 = ]
| leader_name3 = {{Representative|cacd|12|fmt=usleader}}<ref>{{Cite GovTrack|CA|12|access-date=February 13, 2023}}</ref>
| leader_title4 = ]
| leader_name4 = Keith Carson
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}} }}
'''Piedmont''' is a city in ], ], ]. It is completely surrounded by the city of ]. The population was 10,952 at the 2000 census.


'''Piedmont''' is a small city located in ], United States, enclaved by the city of ]. Its residential population was 11,270 at the ].<ref name="CensusQuickFacts" /> The name comes from the region of ] in ], and it means 'foothill'. Piedmont was ] in 1907, and was developed significantly in the 1920s and 1930s.
==Background==
]


== History ==
Piedmont is a small, primarily residential community with fine architecture, tree-lined streets, and competitive city schools. Because of its school system, low crime rate, good weather, and high property values, it is regarded as one of the most desirable residential communities in the ]. Property in Piedmont is markedly more expensive than real estate in neighboring communities.
{{Main|History of Piedmont, California}}
Piedmont was named one of the "25 Top-Earning Towns" in CNN Money Magazine's list of 'The Best Places to Live.'
] was part of ], granted to the ] in 1820.]]
The original neighborhood of Piedmont was larger than the current ] of Piedmont, with the Mountain View Cemetery considered full part of the Piedmont neighborhood.


Residents initially sought incorporation in 1907. Two elections were held among the citizens of Piedmont in 1907, both of which narrowly upheld the decision for Piedmont to become a separate city, rather than become a neighborhood within the city of Oakland.
Piedmont is largely ] for residential use. Piedmont has a minimal amount of commerce compared with its statistically similar counterparts. However, shopping is plentiful in adjacent Oakland neighborhoods such as ], ], ], and ]. It has a small commercial district in the center of town along Highland Avenue that includes a gas station, three banks (Citibank, Wells Fargo, and Bank of America), a realty office, Mulberry's Market, and some professional offices. A small number of commercial enterprises also line Grand Avenue near the southern Oakland border.


According to the city's webpage, "In the Roaring Twenties, Piedmont was known as the 'City of Millionaires' because there were more millionaires per square mile than in any city in the United States."<ref>{{cite web |title=History of Piedmont |publisher=City of Piedmont |url=http://www.ci.piedmont.ca.us/history.shtml |access-date=July 6, 2016}}</ref> Many of these millionaires built mansions that still stand, notably on Sea View Avenue and Sotelo Avenue/Glen Alpine Road in 'Alta' Piedmont. Piedmont became a ] under the laws of the ] on December 18, 1922. On February 27, 1923, voters adopted the charter, which can only be changed by another vote of the people.
Located in the East Bay hills, Piedmont is completely surrounded by the city of Oakland. Piedmont provides its own fire and police services. Yet Piedmont does not have its own public library or federal post office; these services are shared with Oakland. Indeed, Piedmont's three ZIP codes are all shared with Oakland. The relationship between Oakland and Piedmont is remarkable among American cities. Although property in Piedmont is surrounded by Oakland and residents are dependent upon neighboring communities for supermarkets and other commerce, property taxes on Piedmont real estate are not shared with Oakland. Some residents have remarked that, in a sense, Oakland's most valuable real estate and most wealthy residents are actually in the city of Piedmont.


Like surrounding Oakland,<ref>{{cite web |title=How segregated in your Oakland neighborhood |url=https://oaklandside.org/2021/06/28/how-segregated-is-your-oakland-neighborhood/ |website=The Oaklandside |access-date=November 11, 2021 |date=June 28, 2021}}</ref> Piedmont has a history of racial segregation, but it also has a separate history of racial exclusion.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Ravani |first1=Sarah |title=Piedmont residents wrestle with how to add more housing to exclusive enclave |url=https://www.sfchronicle.com/local/article/Piedmont-residents-mostly-wealthy-and-white-16189457.php |website=San Francisco Chronicle |access-date=October 8, 2021 |date=May 20, 2021}}</ref><ref name="kalw.org">{{cite web |title=Why Is There Another City Inside Of Oakland? |url=https://www.kalw.org/show/crosscurrents/2020-03-12/why-is-there-another-city-inside-of-oakland |website=KALW |access-date=October 8, 2021 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Troyer |first1=Aya |last2=Lloyd |first2=Zenobia Pellissier |last3=Lee |first3=Malia |title=A Closer Look: A Path Towards Change – The Piedmont Highlander |url=https://tphnews.com/2020/10/21/a-closer-look-a-path-towards-change/ |access-date=October 8, 2021}}</ref> In 1924, the city's first African-American homeowners, Sidney and Irene Dearing, got around the city's restrictive housing covenants by purchasing a home using a white family member as a ]. They could not count on the city of Piedmont to protect them from violent threats against their lives—the chief of police at the time, Burton Becker, was an active member of the ].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Phillips |first1=Justin |title=An affluent East Bay city chased out its first Black homeowner a century ago - and still hasn't atoned |url=https://www.sfchronicle.com/local/justinphillips/article/An-affluent-East-Bay-city-chased-out-its-first-16242252.php |website=San Francisco Chronicle |access-date=October 8, 2021 |date=June 13, 2021}}</ref> While the Dearings initially refused to leave, bombs were left around their property. They couple sold their property to the city for $25,000 after a mob surrounded their home and demanded that they leave.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bennett |first=Meghan |title=About Sidney Dearing of Piedmont, California |url=https://www.sidneydearing.com/about-sidney |access-date=May 31, 2022 |website=Sidney Dearing |language=en}}</ref>
The city is served by two local weekly newspapers: the citizen-run ''Piedmont Post'' and the ''Piedmonter'', a neighborhood newspaper organized under the ] news organization.


Before 1968, restrictive housing covenants and ] were used to exclude non-whites in the city for many years.<ref>{{cite web |title=Piedmont, California's History of Redlining |url=https://www.sidneydearing.com/piedmont-red-line |website=Sidney Dearing |access-date=October 8, 2021 |language=en}}</ref> The American sociologist and historian ] identified Piedmont as a "probable" ], meaning that non-whites were not welcome after dusk and could face violence and intimidation. While surrounding Oakland is one of the most ethnically and culturally diverse cities in the United States,<ref name="kalw.org"/> Piedmont has a less racially diverse population. Attempts to ethnically and culturally diversify the city and allow for higher density and ] are typically met with resistance from the city's residents.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Ravani |first1=Sarah |title=Piedmont residents wrestle with how to add more housing to exclusive enclave |url=https://www.sfchronicle.com/local/article/Piedmont-residents-mostly-wealthy-and-white-16189457.php |website=San Francisco Chronicle |date=May 20, 2021}}</ref>
Piedmont has several parks and a community center. Recent community efforts have raised funds to improve Dracena Park, in which construction for a new play area began in 2005 and was completed in March 2006. In addition to a new play structure and two sets of swings, the new playground includes a climbing wall, a waterfall faucet for the sand area, and a cement slide built into a grassy manmade hill.


In early 2021, the city council indicated that it intended "to move forward with public acknowledgement and an apology for the abhorrent treatment Sidney Dearing and his family received in 1924."<ref>{{cite web |title=COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT |url=https://piedmont.ca.gov/common/pages/DisplayFile.aspx?itemId=17423206 |website=City of Piedmont |access-date=October 8, 2021}}</ref>
==History==


In August 2017, the mayor of Piedmont, Jeffrey Wieler,<ref name=CC>{{Cite web
{{main|History of Piedmont, California}}
|url=http://www.ci.piedmont.ca.us/citycouncil/
|title=Piedmont City Council
|access-date=July 7, 2016}}</ref> resigned after it was revealed he had made disparaging Facebook posts about ] and transgender people.<ref>{{Cite news|date=August 27, 2017|title=Piedmont Mayor Resigns After Inflammatory Online Comments|url=https://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2017/08/27/piedmont-mayor-resigns-after-inflammatory-online-comments/|access-date=November 15, 2021|work=CBS SF|language=en-US}}</ref>


== Geography ==
Residents originally sought incorporation in 1907. Two elections were held among the citizens of Piedmont in 1907, both of which narrowly upheld the decision for Piedmont to become a separate city, rather than become a neighborhood within the city of Oakland.
]


Piedmont is located near the ], a geological fault line that runs through the East Bay region.
By the Roaring Twenties, Piedmont was known as the "City of Millionaires" because it had the most resident millionaires per square mile of any city in the ]. Many of these millionaires built mansions that still stand, notably on Sea View Avenue and Glen Alpine Road in upper Piedmont. Piedmont became a charter city under the laws of the ] on December 18, ]. On February 27, ], voters adopted the charter, which can only be changed by another vote of the people.


According to the ], the city has a total area of {{convert|1.7|sqmi|km2}}, all land.
Piedmont celebrates the year 2007 as its Centennial Anniversary since incorporation. The Centennial Committee hosted celebratory events along a trail that runs through downtown Piedmont and denoted historical landmarks in the city. The Committee also created a float for the city's ] parade.<ref name="100 years">{{cite news
| last =Allen
| first =Annalee
| coauthors =
| title =Piedmont honors 100 years of history
| work =
| pages =
| language =
| publisher =Oakland Tribune
| date =7 January, 2007
| url =http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4176/is_20070107/ai_n17107524
| accessdate = 2007-05-25 }}</ref>


=== Borders ===
The historical exhibit "A Deluxe Autonomy: Piedmont’s First 100 Years" is on display in the ] from January 5 to March 31, 2007.<ref name="">{{cite web
Piedmont is surrounded on all sides by the city of Oakland. Specifically, Piedmont's northwestern border is adjacent to Oakland's ] commercial district. The city borders Oakland's historic Grand Lake District (Lakeshore and Grand Avenue commercial districts) to the southwest, the quaint and rustic Montclair District to the northeast, and the Crocker Highlands and Glenview Districts to the south.
| last =
| first =
| authorlink =
| coauthors =
| title =A Deluxe Autonomy: Piedmont's First 100 Years Historic Exhibit Opens January 5
| work =
| publisher =Oakland Public Library
| date =2007
| url =http://www.oaklandlibrary.org/PR/pr122906PiedmontExhibit.html
| format =
| doi =
| accessdate = 2007-03-07 }}</ref>


=== Major streets ===
==Geography==
Piedmont's major streets include Oakland Avenue, which runs east-west through Piedmont's small city center; Highland Avenue, which divides Piedmont into upper and lower sections; Moraga Avenue, which runs along the city's northern border; and Grand Avenue, which runs near Piedmont's western border and further distinguishes 'Lower' Piedmont (west of Highland Ave) from 'Baja' Piedmont (west of Grand Avenue). Lots in upper Piedmont are, on average, larger than lots in lower Piedmont. A nearby shopping district on ] is located in Oakland, not Piedmont. A small shopping ] had been located on Highland Avenue near the Exedra at Piedmont Park for many years, but in the last few decades has dwindled in number to a small, local grocer-deli (Mulberry's Market), a service station and three banks. No major highways run within Piedmont's borders, but entrances to ] and ] are quite near.


=== Housing ===
According to the ], the city has a total area of 4.4 ] (1.7 ]). There is a small lake with no public access called Tyson Lake. There is a small pond in ]. (The cemetery is in Oakland, just outside Piedmont's border.)
The city is almost entirely ] for single-family dwelling residential use. Piedmont has minimal commerce compared with statistically similar cities and relies primarily on property taxes and fees for public revenues to support public services. The city also has relatively few multi-family or ] (in-law) units. The city has a very small number of businesses in its commercial district on Highland Avenue and a very small number of businesses on Grand Avenue near Piedmont's western border with Oakland.


=== Emergency services ===
Piedmont's major streets include Oakland Avenue, which runs from Piedmont's small city center down into Oakland; Highland Avenue, which divides Piedmont into upper and lower sections; Moraga Avenue, which runs near the city's northern border; and Grand Avenue, which runs near Piedmont's western border. Lots in upper Piedmont are, on average, larger than lots in lower Piedmont. A nearby shopping center on ] in Oakland comes within two blocks of Piedmont but never actually enters the city's borders. No major highways run within Piedmont's borders.
Piedmont provides its own fire, police, parks, and recreational services but does not have its own public library nor federal post office; these services are shared with Oakland. Special, incremental property tax assessments on Piedmont real estate for schools and some public services are not shared with Oakland.


==Demographics== == Demographics ==
{{US Census population
As of the ]{{GR|2}} of 2000, there were 10,952 people, 3,804 households, and 3,104 families residing in the city. The ] was 2,502.1/km² (6,488.7/mi²). There were 3,859 housing units at an average density of 881.6/km² (2,286.3/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 78.59 percent ], 1.24 percent ], 0.11 percent ], 16.02 percent ], 0.04 percent ], 0.63 percent from other ], and 3.38 percent from two or more races. ] or ] of any race were 2.97 percent of the population.
|1890= 634
|1910= 1719
|1920= 4282
|1930= 9333
|1940= 9866
|1950= 10132
|1960= 11117
|1970= 10917
|1980= 10498
|1990= 10602
|2000= 10952
|2010= 10667
|2020= 11270
|estimate= 10635
|estyear=2023
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015}}</ref>
}}


=== 2010 ===
There were 3,804 households out of which 47.3 percent included children under the age of 18, 70.9 percent were ] living together, 8.5 percent had a female householder with no husband present, and 18.4 percent were non-families. Of all households, 14.5 percent were made up of individuals and 7.8 percent consisted of a person aged 65 or older living alone. The average household size was 2.88, and the average family size was 3.18.
The ]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.census.gov/2010census/popmap/ipmtext.php?fl=06:0656938|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140715032438/http://www.census.gov/2010census/popmap/ipmtext.php?fl=06:0656938|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 15, 2014|title=2010 Census Interactive Population Search: CA - Piedmont city|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau|access-date=July 12, 2014}}</ref> reported that Piedmont had a population of 10,667. The population density was {{convert|6,358.5|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of Piedmont was 7,917 (74.2%) ], 144 (1.3%) ], 6 (0.1%) ], 1,939 (18.2%) ], 13 (0.1%) ], 94 (0.9%) from ], and 554 (5.2%) from two or more races. ] or ] of any race were 421 persons (3.9%). The Census reported that 10,664 people (100% of the population) lived in households, three (0%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and none (0%) was institutionalized.


There were 3,801 households, out of which 1,606 (42.3%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 2,738 (72.0%) were ] living together, 260 (6.8%) had a female head of household with no spouse present, 119 (3.1%) had a male head of household with no spouse present. There were 67 (1.8%) ], and 38 (1.0%) ]. 578 households (15.2%) consisted of an individual householder, and 344 (9.1%) were senior (age 65+) individual householders. There were 3,117 ] (82.0% of all households); the average family size was 3.11.
In the city, the population was spread out with 30.3 percent under the age of 18, 3.8 percent from 18 to 24, 18.5 percent from 25 to 44, 34.0 percent from 45 to 64, and 13.5 percent who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females there were 92.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.8 males.


The age distribution of Piedmont's population is diverse with 3,017 people (28.3%) under the age of 18, 451 people (4.2%) aged 18 to 24, 1,638 people (15.4%) aged 25 to 44, 3,922 people (36.8%) aged 45 to 64, and 1,639 people (15.4%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46.2 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.8 males.
Median income for a household in the city was $134,270, and median income for a family was $149,857. Males had a median income of $100,000 versus $58,553 for females. ] was $70,539. About 1.0 percent of families and 2.0 percent of the population were below the ], including 2.6 percent of those under age 18 and 1.6 percent of those age 65 or over.


There were 3,924 housing units, with an average household size of 2.81. Piedmont's average housing-unit density is 2,339.1 units per square mile (903.1/km<sup>2</sup>), of which 3,801 were occupied. Piedmont had 3,358 (88.3%) owner-occupied housing units, and 443 (11.7%) renter-occupied housing units. The homeowner vacancy rate was 0.5%; the rental vacancy rate was 3.7%. 9,393 people (88.1% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 1,271 people (11.9%) lived in rental housing units.
Piedmont's demographics are drastically different from Oakland's. In Oakland, more than 1 out of every 3 residents is African American. In Piedmont, this figure is 1 in 100.


==Politics== === 2000 ===
As of the ]<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=]|access-date=January 31, 2008|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref> of 2000, there were 10,952 people, 3,804 households, and 3,104 families residing in the city. The population density was {{convert|6,488.7|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 3,859 housing units at an average density of {{convert|2,286.3|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.
In the ] Piedmont is located in the 9th ] District, represented by ] ], and in the 16th ] District, represented by Democrat ]. Federally, Piedmont is located in ], which has a ] of D +38<ref>{{cite web | title = Will Gerrymandered Districts Stem the Wave of Voter Unrest? | publisher = Campaign Legal Center Blog | url=http://www.clcblog.org/blog_item-85.html | accessdate = 2007-10-19}}</ref> and is represented by Democrat ].


There were 3,804 households, 47.3% containing children under the age of 18, 70.9% were ] living together, 8.5% had a female householder with no spouse present, and 18.4% were other family configurations. 14.5% of all households consisted of individuals, and 7.8% were households consisting of senior (age 65+ years) individuals. The average household size was 2.88, and the average family size was 3.18.
==Education==


According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the age distribution of Piedmont's population was spread, with 30.3% of residents under the age of 18, 3.8% aged 18 to 24 years, 18.5% aged 25 to 44 years, 34.0% aged 45 to 64 years, and 13.5% aged 65+ years. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.8 males.
] and Witter Field, taken from ]]]


The median income for a household in the city was $134,270, and the median income for a family was $149,857. Males had a median income of $100,000 versus $58,553 for females. The ] for the city was $70,539. About 1.0% of families and 2.0% of the population were below the ], including 2.6% of those under age 18 and 1.6% of those aged 65 or over.
Piedmont is within the ].


== Arts and culture ==
The district, coinciding with the municipal boundaries, includes three elementary schools (Havens, Beach, and Wildwood), a middle school (]), a high school (]), and an alternative high school, ]. ] matriculates a high percentage of students bound for college. Many graduates continue their education at both public and private colleges and universities.
]


Piedmont has a City Hall, a Community Hall, a Veterans' Memorial Building, a Recreation Center, Aquatics Center, and Center for the Arts. Public parks include Piedmont Park, Dracena Park, Crocker Park, Hampton Park, Linda Ave Tot Lot and Dog Run, Kennelly Skate Park, and Blair Park. Playfields include Coaches Playfield, Linda Playfield, and Piedmont Sports Field (at Hampton Park).
The ] is one of a few California public school systems to achieve such success. This can be largely attributed to the dedicated population of parents who choose to pay higher prices for housing so that their children can attend Piedmont schools instead of private schools. In particular, cost-benefit analyses will reveal that, for many households, Piedmont schools make more economic sense than private schooling. Such analyses, for example, may take into consideration real estate prices, mortgage interest rates, projected real estate value appreciation, local taxes, federal tax deductions, quality of schools, private tuition costs per student, and number of children.


Regular town events include the July 4 Parade, Movies in the Park, Harvest Festival, Haunted House, Thanksgiving Turkey Trot, and Christmas Tree Lighting. Piedmont High School's annual Bird Calling Contest was previously featured on '']'' and the '']''.
Piedmont voters regularly approve bond measures earmarked for maintaining and/or improving educational facilities. For example, Witter Field, home of the Piedmont Highlanders, was rebuilt over a period of years (1996–1999), transforming it from the older facility to a newer and markedly improved one. Similar improvements have been made to the fields adjacent to the Beach Elementary School.


Active charities and community groups include the Piedmont Education Foundation, the Piedmont Historical Society, the Piedmont Center for the Arts, the Piedmont Beautification Foundation, the Daughters of the American Revolution (Piedmont Chapter), the Piedmont League of Women Voters, Dress Best for Less, the Piedmont Highlanders Drums & Pipes, the Piedmont Civic Association, the Piedmont Community Church, the Piedmont East Bay Children's Choir, the Piedmont-Montclair Rotary Club, Piedmont Scouting, the Piedmont Baseball Foundation, the Piedmont Basketball Foundation, the Piedmont Soccer Club and the Piedmont Makers.<ref>{{cite web |title=10th annual Piedmont School Maker Faire returns to PHS on Sunday |url=https://piedmontexedra.com/2024/05/10th-annual-piedmont-school-maker-faire-returns-to-phs-on-sunday |website=Piedmont Exedra |access-date=9 September 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Piedmont Makers |url=http://www.piedmontmakers.org |access-date=9 September 2024}}</ref> The Children's Support League holds annual Heart of the Home tours of Oakland and Piedmont homes.
In 2005, Piedmont citizens voted in favor of Measures B and C with an overwhelming majority. Measure B renews the school district parcel tax, which pays for 21 percent of the district's budget, and Measure C adds an additional amount that compensates for reduced funding from state and federal sources. Had Measures B and C failed, students returning in the 2006–2007 school year would have been met with larger class sizes, far fewer course options, and fewer teachers, aides, custodians, and other staff.


== Politics ==
In 2006, voters authorized the Piedmont City Unified School District to issue up to $56 million in bonds to improve Piedmont public school buildings so as to reduce dangers from earthquakes, to meet state and federal seismic safety standards.


According to the ], as of February 10, 2019, Piedmont has 8,535 registered voters. Of those, 5,082 (59.5%) are registered ], 1,173 (13.7%) are registered ], and 2,022 (23.7%) have ] a political party.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/ror/ror-odd-year-2019/politicalsub.pdf|title=CA Secretary of State – Report of Registration – February 10, 2019|website=ca.gov|access-date=March 12, 2019}}</ref>
The Piedmont Educational Foundation awards a number of grants for academic innovation in Piedmont schools each year, and provides a sustained source of funding for the PUSD through its Endowment Fund.<ref></ref>


From its incorporation until 1992, Piedmont was a ] stronghold in presidential elections.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sfgate.com/realestate/article/Piedmont-the-real-Pleasantville-3061576.php|title=Piedmont, the real Pleasantville|work=SF Gate|date=November 1998 }}</ref>
*Stephen Tindle


==Notable residents== == Education ==
{{see|:Category:People from Piedmont, California}}
===Current===
Piedmont is home to ex-] player ],ex-] star ], ], ex-] star ], ] owner ], ] member ], ], director of Pixar's ], and painter ].
===Past===
Author ] lived in Piedmont, and Kennedy's Secretary of Defense ] grew up in Piedmont, where his family lived on Ranleigh Way. ] resided in Piedmont and attended Piedmont schools. ] resided in Piedmont in the 1970s. Actors Dean Butler ('']'') and Austin Tichenor (]) also grew up in Piedmont. Further, notable tennis player and coach ], grew up in Piedmont. ], founder of the discount stock brokerage firm bearing his name, and his family also lived in Piedmont in the early 1980s.


] and Witter Field, taken from ]]]
Other past notables include ], for whom ] is named, and James Gamble, president of the ] Telegraph Company, who, in 1877, founded the Piedmont Land Company, thus introducing the name later adopted by the city upon its incorporation.


Elementary and secondary students (PK-12) residing in Piedmont, children of City of Piedmont employees, and children of Piedmont Unified School District employees are eligible to attend schools within the ]. The district, coinciding with the municipal boundaries, includes three elementary schools (Havens, Beach, and Wildwood), one middle school (]), and two high schools—one larger (]), and one smaller, alternative high school, ]. A very high percentage{{how much|date=October 2015}} of Piedmont High School graduates are accepted to 4-year undergraduate programs. Many graduates continue their post-secondary education at very prestigious and competitive public and private colleges and universities.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.towncharts.com/California/Education/Piedmont-city-CA-Education-data.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180805203122/https://www.towncharts.com/California/Education/Piedmont-city-CA-Education-data.html|url-status=usurped|archive-date=August 5, 2018|title=Piedmont CA Education data|website=www.towncharts.com|language=en-US|access-date=August 5, 2018}}</ref>
==See also==
*]
*]


The ] currently ranks #68 of 756 districts in the state of California according to one statistical analysis of California public education.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.schooldigger.com/go/CA/cityrank.aspx|title=California State Cities - CA City School Rankings|work=SchoolDigger}}</ref>
==References==
<references/>


Piedmont voters have approved several local bond measures earmarked for maintaining and/or improving PUSD's educational facilities. For instance, Witter Field, PUSD's sports complex, was rebuilt between 1996 and 1999. The city-owned field adjacent to Beach Elementary School was resurfaced with natural cork-based artificial turf in early 2015. The PUSD-owned artificial turf field at Havens Elementary School (Becker Playfield) was placed in 2010.
==External links==
*
{{Mapit-US-cityscale|37.821994|-122.231405}}
*
*
*
*
*
*


Most recently, with the passage of Measure E in 2006, voters authorized the Piedmont Unified School District to issue up to $56 million in bonds to improve Piedmont public school buildings to reduce dangers from earthquakes, eliminate major collapse risks, and to meet or exceed all current state and federal seismic safety standards.
{{Cities of Alameda County, California}}


In addition to the public bond measures approved for PUSD facility upgrades and modernization, Piedmont voters have quadrennially approved, since 1980, a supplemental parcel tax (collected annually) which accounts for a very significant portion of PUSD's basic operational budget. In 2005, two measures were approved by voters, one of which renewed the basic school district parcel tax, paying for 21% of the district's budget, and another which added an incremental amount, short-term, to compensate for reduced funding from mainly state, and some federal, sources. Piedmont's most recent school support tax, Measure A, was again approved by 88% of Piedmont voters in 2012. Due to further reductions in state education budgets during the Great Recession (2008-2011), state diversions from local school property tax allocations since 2004, and shifting of state financial responsibilities onto local school districts, Piedmont's local school parcel tax now represents 30% of PUSD's annual operating budget.
==References==
<div class="references-small" style="-moz-column-count:1; column-count:1;"><references/></div>


] hosts the annual Leonard J. Waxdeck Bird Calling Contest every spring;the top three winners used to appear on the '']'' and perform their bird calls.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.insidebayarea.com/piedmont/ci_20593606/piedmont-high-bird-call-winners-headed-letterman|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140305225727/http://www.insidebayarea.com/piedmont/ci_20593606/piedmont-high-bird-call-winners-headed-letterman|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 5, 2014|title=Piedmont High bird call winners headed for Letterman|work=InsideBayArea.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.contracostatimes.com/ci_23223829/piedmont-bird-callers-chirp-their-way-late-show|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140304110533/http://www.contracostatimes.com/ci_23223829/piedmont-bird-callers-chirp-their-way-late-show|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 4, 2014|title=Piedmont bird callers chirp their way to the{{sic|hide=y|reason=duplicated 'the' error in source title}} "The Late Show With David Letterman"|work=ContraCostaTimes.com}}</ref>
1. San Francisco Chronicle, Feb. 4, 1988, Page A23; San Francisco Examiner, Feb. 14, 1988, Pages B1 and B8; Los Angeles Times, Feb. 4, 1988, Page 2.


The Piedmont Educational Foundation awards a number of grants for academic innovation in Piedmont schools each year, and provides a source of operational funding for the PUSD through its Endowment Fund<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.piedmontedfoundation.org|title=Piedmont Education Foundation – Supporting PUSD Since 1975|work=Piedmont Education Foundation}}</ref> which reached $6 million in 2015.
]
]
]
]


== Media ==
]
The city is served by two local weekly newspapers: the ''Piedmont Post'' and the ''Piedmonter'', a neighborhood newspaper organized under the '']'' news organization.
]

]
== Transportation ==
]

]
] provides Piedmont with bus service. Bus routes 12 and 33 connect Piedmont to Oakland's ] stations. In addition to Route 33 serving ] stations, the route serves Upper Piedmont going to Estates Drive on weekdays. ] also provides a Transbay bus. Route P, to the ] in ] during peak commute hours.
]

== In literature and the arts ==
The city appeared in the ] show '']'' as the hometown of the main characters ] and ].

== Notable people ==
{{See also|Category:People from Piedmont, California}}
Piedmont is home to a number of notable individuals in the political, business, sports, and academic communities, including: ex-] player ]; ex-] player ], ]; ex-] player ]; Ambassador to Australia ]; ], director of Pixar's '']'', '']'', and '']'' and co-writer of '']''; ], the creator of the animated television series '']''; and ], lead singer of ]. The punk rock band ] also has its roots in Piedmont.

Author ] wrote ''Call of the Wild'' while living on Blair Avenue in a house that exists today; since this predated incorporation, technically he was never a citizen of Piedmont. ]'s Secretary of Defense ] grew up in Piedmont, where his family lived on Annerley Road.<ref>The Living and the Dead, ], A.A. Knopf 1996, p. 45; precise address is 1036 Annerley Road.</ref> ] resided in Piedmont and attended Piedmont schools. ] resided in Piedmont in the 1970s. Actors ] ('']'') also grew up in Piedmont. Notable tennis player and coach ] grew up in Piedmont. Professional male tennis player ] grew up in Piedmont and attended Piedmont HS. ], founder of the discount stock brokerage firm bearing his name, and his family also lived in Piedmont in the early 1980s, as did ], founder of the ] brokerage, in the 1940s.

Other residents have included: ], philanthropist, construction magnate, owner of the Oakland Raiders and founding member of the AFL; ], for whom ] is named; and James Gamble, president of the ] Telegraph Company, who, in 1877, founded the Piedmont Land Company, introducing the name adopted by the city upon incorporation.

=== Actors, entertainment, and film professionals ===
* ], Academy Award- and Golden Globe-winning film director
* ], puppeteer
* ], actor
* ], actress, comedian '']''
* ], creator of animated series '']''
* ], radio personality
* ], actress
* ], painter

=== Academia ===
* ], academia, historian
* ], academia, chemist

=== Artists and designers ===
* ], artist
* ], designer
* ], artist
* ], artist
* ], architect

=== Business ===
* ], the first woman to become a vice president at ]. Ruth was raised in and attended high school in Piedmont.<ref name="SFgate">{{cite news|date=June 26, 2004|title=Amonette, Ruth Leach|work=Obituary|publisher=SFGate|url=http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/AMONETTE-Ruth-Leach-2746467.php|access-date=9 September 2013}}</ref>
* ], American businessman and Secretary of Defense under President John F. Kennedy
* ], ex-CEO of Vodafone
* ], businessman, ]
* ], businessman, resides in Piedmont.<ref>{{cite web|last=Johnson|first= Steve|date=February 4, 2011|title=Mercury News interview: Lip-Bu Tan, president and CEO of Cadence Design Systems|url=https://www.mercurynews.com/2011/02/04/mercury-news-interview-lip-bu-tan-president-and-ceo-of-cadence-design-systems/|website= San Jose Mercury News|archive-date=May 5, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170505111504/https://www.mercurynews.com/2011/02/04/mercury-news-interview-lip-bu-tan-president-and-ceo-of-cadence-design-systems/}}</ref>

=== Poets, writers, and journalists ===
* ], author
* ], publisher of '']''
* ], writer
* ], television journalist
* ], poet and playwright
* ], writer<ref name="calendar">''Piedmont Community Calendar 1997''. Historical information about Piedmont written by Ann Swift. Printed 1996 by the City of Piedmont.</ref>

=== Sports ===
* ], NBA player and agent
* ], football executive
* ], former head coach of the University of California football team, currently the head coach at Texas Christian University
* ], former head coach of the University of California basketball team, currently head coach of the University of Missouri
* ], tennis player
* ], basketball player
* ], basketball player

=== Others ===
* ], Piedmont Police Department Chief, Alameda County Sheriff, ] member and later in life he served as an inmate.<ref name="memoirs">Warren, Earl. ''The Memoirs of Earl Warren''. Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, 1977. p 101. Accessed October 30, 2020, from </ref>
* ], philanthropist and California pioneer
* ], decorated soldier

== See also ==
* ]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}
* {{gnis|1659383}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category}}
* {{Official website}}

{{Geographic Location
|Center = Piedmont (within ])
|North = ]
|Northeast = ]<br />]
|East =
|Southeast = ]
|South = ]
|Southwest =
|West = ]
|Northwest = ]
}}
{{SF Bay Area}}
{{Alameda County, California}}

{{authority control}}

]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]

Latest revision as of 20:27, 26 December 2024

City in California, United States

City in California, United States
Piedmont
City
The 1878 historic Wetmore House in central PiedmontThe 1878 historic Wetmore House in central Piedmont
Location in Alameda County and the state of CaliforniaLocation in Alameda County and the state of California
Piedmont is located in CaliforniaPiedmontPiedmontLocation in CaliforniaShow map of CaliforniaPiedmont is located in the United StatesPiedmontPiedmontPiedmont (the United States)Show map of the United States
Coordinates: 37°49′N 122°14′W / 37.817°N 122.233°W / 37.817; -122.233
CountryUnited States
StateCalifornia
CountyAlameda
IncorporatedJanuary 31, 1907
Government
 • MayorTeddy King
 • State SenateTim Grayson (D)
 • State AssemblyBuffy Wicks (D)
 • U. S. CongressBarbara Lee (D)
 • Alameda County Board of SupervisorsKeith Carson
Area
 • Total1.70 sq mi (4.40 km)
 • Land1.70 sq mi (4.40 km)
 • Water0.00 sq mi (0.00 km)  0%
Elevation331 ft (101 m)
Population
 • Total11,270
 • Density6,600/sq mi (2,600/km)
Time zoneUTC-8 (Pacific (PST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC-7 (PDT)
ZIP code94602, 94610, 94611, 94618
Area code(s)510, 341
FIPS code06-56938
GNIS feature IDs1659383, 2411418
Websitewww.ci.piedmont.ca.us

Piedmont is a small city located in Alameda County, California, United States, enclaved by the city of Oakland. Its residential population was 11,270 at the 2020 census. The name comes from the region of Piedmont in Italy, and it means 'foothill'. Piedmont was incorporated in 1907, and was developed significantly in the 1920s and 1930s.

History

Main article: History of Piedmont, California
Piedmont and much of the East Bay was part of Rancho San Antonio, granted to the Peralta family in 1820.

The original neighborhood of Piedmont was larger than the current municipality of Piedmont, with the Mountain View Cemetery considered full part of the Piedmont neighborhood.

Residents initially sought incorporation in 1907. Two elections were held among the citizens of Piedmont in 1907, both of which narrowly upheld the decision for Piedmont to become a separate city, rather than become a neighborhood within the city of Oakland.

According to the city's webpage, "In the Roaring Twenties, Piedmont was known as the 'City of Millionaires' because there were more millionaires per square mile than in any city in the United States." Many of these millionaires built mansions that still stand, notably on Sea View Avenue and Sotelo Avenue/Glen Alpine Road in 'Alta' Piedmont. Piedmont became a charter city under the laws of the state of California on December 18, 1922. On February 27, 1923, voters adopted the charter, which can only be changed by another vote of the people.

Like surrounding Oakland, Piedmont has a history of racial segregation, but it also has a separate history of racial exclusion. In 1924, the city's first African-American homeowners, Sidney and Irene Dearing, got around the city's restrictive housing covenants by purchasing a home using a white family member as a proxy. They could not count on the city of Piedmont to protect them from violent threats against their lives—the chief of police at the time, Burton Becker, was an active member of the Ku Klux Klan. While the Dearings initially refused to leave, bombs were left around their property. They couple sold their property to the city for $25,000 after a mob surrounded their home and demanded that they leave.

Before 1968, restrictive housing covenants and redlining were used to exclude non-whites in the city for many years. The American sociologist and historian James W. Loewen identified Piedmont as a "probable" sundown town, meaning that non-whites were not welcome after dusk and could face violence and intimidation. While surrounding Oakland is one of the most ethnically and culturally diverse cities in the United States, Piedmont has a less racially diverse population. Attempts to ethnically and culturally diversify the city and allow for higher density and affordable housing are typically met with resistance from the city's residents.

In early 2021, the city council indicated that it intended "to move forward with public acknowledgement and an apology for the abhorrent treatment Sidney Dearing and his family received in 1924."

In August 2017, the mayor of Piedmont, Jeffrey Wieler, resigned after it was revealed he had made disparaging Facebook posts about Black Lives Matter and transgender people.

Geography

El Cerrito Avenue, one of Piedmont's tree-lined streets

Piedmont is located near the Hayward Fault, a geological fault line that runs through the East Bay region.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.7 square miles (4.4 km), all land.

Borders

Piedmont is surrounded on all sides by the city of Oakland. Specifically, Piedmont's northwestern border is adjacent to Oakland's Piedmont Avenue commercial district. The city borders Oakland's historic Grand Lake District (Lakeshore and Grand Avenue commercial districts) to the southwest, the quaint and rustic Montclair District to the northeast, and the Crocker Highlands and Glenview Districts to the south.

Major streets

Piedmont's major streets include Oakland Avenue, which runs east-west through Piedmont's small city center; Highland Avenue, which divides Piedmont into upper and lower sections; Moraga Avenue, which runs along the city's northern border; and Grand Avenue, which runs near Piedmont's western border and further distinguishes 'Lower' Piedmont (west of Highland Ave) from 'Baja' Piedmont (west of Grand Avenue). Lots in upper Piedmont are, on average, larger than lots in lower Piedmont. A nearby shopping district on Piedmont Avenue is located in Oakland, not Piedmont. A small shopping hamlet had been located on Highland Avenue near the Exedra at Piedmont Park for many years, but in the last few decades has dwindled in number to a small, local grocer-deli (Mulberry's Market), a service station and three banks. No major highways run within Piedmont's borders, but entrances to CA Highway 13 and CA I-580 are quite near.

Housing

The city is almost entirely zoned for single-family dwelling residential use. Piedmont has minimal commerce compared with statistically similar cities and relies primarily on property taxes and fees for public revenues to support public services. The city also has relatively few multi-family or second (in-law) units. The city has a very small number of businesses in its commercial district on Highland Avenue and a very small number of businesses on Grand Avenue near Piedmont's western border with Oakland.

Emergency services

Piedmont provides its own fire, police, parks, and recreational services but does not have its own public library nor federal post office; these services are shared with Oakland. Special, incremental property tax assessments on Piedmont real estate for schools and some public services are not shared with Oakland.

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note
1890634
19101,719
19204,282149.1%
19309,333118.0%
19409,8665.7%
195010,1322.7%
196011,1179.7%
197010,917−1.8%
198010,498−3.8%
199010,6021.0%
200010,9523.3%
201010,667−2.6%
202011,2705.7%
2023 (est.)10,635−5.6%
U.S. Decennial Census

2010

The 2010 United States Census reported that Piedmont had a population of 10,667. The population density was 6,358.5 inhabitants per square mile (2,455.0/km). The racial makeup of Piedmont was 7,917 (74.2%) White, 144 (1.3%) African American, 6 (0.1%) Native American, 1,939 (18.2%) Asian, 13 (0.1%) Pacific Islander, 94 (0.9%) from other races, and 554 (5.2%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 421 persons (3.9%). The Census reported that 10,664 people (100% of the population) lived in households, three (0%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and none (0%) was institutionalized.

There were 3,801 households, out of which 1,606 (42.3%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 2,738 (72.0%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 260 (6.8%) had a female head of household with no spouse present, 119 (3.1%) had a male head of household with no spouse present. There were 67 (1.8%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 38 (1.0%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 578 households (15.2%) consisted of an individual householder, and 344 (9.1%) were senior (age 65+) individual householders. There were 3,117 families (82.0% of all households); the average family size was 3.11.

The age distribution of Piedmont's population is diverse with 3,017 people (28.3%) under the age of 18, 451 people (4.2%) aged 18 to 24, 1,638 people (15.4%) aged 25 to 44, 3,922 people (36.8%) aged 45 to 64, and 1,639 people (15.4%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46.2 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.8 males.

There were 3,924 housing units, with an average household size of 2.81. Piedmont's average housing-unit density is 2,339.1 units per square mile (903.1/km), of which 3,801 were occupied. Piedmont had 3,358 (88.3%) owner-occupied housing units, and 443 (11.7%) renter-occupied housing units. The homeowner vacancy rate was 0.5%; the rental vacancy rate was 3.7%. 9,393 people (88.1% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 1,271 people (11.9%) lived in rental housing units.

2000

As of the census of 2000, there were 10,952 people, 3,804 households, and 3,104 families residing in the city. The population density was 6,488.7 inhabitants per square mile (2,505.3/km). There were 3,859 housing units at an average density of 2,286.3 per square mile (882.7/km).

There were 3,804 households, 47.3% containing children under the age of 18, 70.9% were married couples living together, 8.5% had a female householder with no spouse present, and 18.4% were other family configurations. 14.5% of all households consisted of individuals, and 7.8% were households consisting of senior (age 65+ years) individuals. The average household size was 2.88, and the average family size was 3.18.

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the age distribution of Piedmont's population was spread, with 30.3% of residents under the age of 18, 3.8% aged 18 to 24 years, 18.5% aged 25 to 44 years, 34.0% aged 45 to 64 years, and 13.5% aged 65+ years. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.8 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $134,270, and the median income for a family was $149,857. Males had a median income of $100,000 versus $58,553 for females. The per capita income for the city was $70,539. About 1.0% of families and 2.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.6% of those under age 18 and 1.6% of those aged 65 or over.

Arts and culture

Piedmont Park, Oakland, California

Piedmont has a City Hall, a Community Hall, a Veterans' Memorial Building, a Recreation Center, Aquatics Center, and Center for the Arts. Public parks include Piedmont Park, Dracena Park, Crocker Park, Hampton Park, Linda Ave Tot Lot and Dog Run, Kennelly Skate Park, and Blair Park. Playfields include Coaches Playfield, Linda Playfield, and Piedmont Sports Field (at Hampton Park).

Regular town events include the July 4 Parade, Movies in the Park, Harvest Festival, Haunted House, Thanksgiving Turkey Trot, and Christmas Tree Lighting. Piedmont High School's annual Bird Calling Contest was previously featured on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson and the Late Show with David Letterman.

Active charities and community groups include the Piedmont Education Foundation, the Piedmont Historical Society, the Piedmont Center for the Arts, the Piedmont Beautification Foundation, the Daughters of the American Revolution (Piedmont Chapter), the Piedmont League of Women Voters, Dress Best for Less, the Piedmont Highlanders Drums & Pipes, the Piedmont Civic Association, the Piedmont Community Church, the Piedmont East Bay Children's Choir, the Piedmont-Montclair Rotary Club, Piedmont Scouting, the Piedmont Baseball Foundation, the Piedmont Basketball Foundation, the Piedmont Soccer Club and the Piedmont Makers. The Children's Support League holds annual Heart of the Home tours of Oakland and Piedmont homes.

Politics

According to the California Secretary of State, as of February 10, 2019, Piedmont has 8,535 registered voters. Of those, 5,082 (59.5%) are registered Democrats, 1,173 (13.7%) are registered Republicans, and 2,022 (23.7%) have declined to state a political party.

From its incorporation until 1992, Piedmont was a Republican stronghold in presidential elections.

Education

A view of Piedmont Middle School and Witter Field, taken from Piedmont High School

Elementary and secondary students (PK-12) residing in Piedmont, children of City of Piedmont employees, and children of Piedmont Unified School District employees are eligible to attend schools within the Piedmont Unified School District. The district, coinciding with the municipal boundaries, includes three elementary schools (Havens, Beach, and Wildwood), one middle school (Piedmont Middle School), and two high schools—one larger (Piedmont High School), and one smaller, alternative high school, Millennium High School. A very high percentage of Piedmont High School graduates are accepted to 4-year undergraduate programs. Many graduates continue their post-secondary education at very prestigious and competitive public and private colleges and universities.

The Piedmont Unified School District currently ranks #68 of 756 districts in the state of California according to one statistical analysis of California public education.

Piedmont voters have approved several local bond measures earmarked for maintaining and/or improving PUSD's educational facilities. For instance, Witter Field, PUSD's sports complex, was rebuilt between 1996 and 1999. The city-owned field adjacent to Beach Elementary School was resurfaced with natural cork-based artificial turf in early 2015. The PUSD-owned artificial turf field at Havens Elementary School (Becker Playfield) was placed in 2010.

Most recently, with the passage of Measure E in 2006, voters authorized the Piedmont Unified School District to issue up to $56 million in bonds to improve Piedmont public school buildings to reduce dangers from earthquakes, eliminate major collapse risks, and to meet or exceed all current state and federal seismic safety standards.

In addition to the public bond measures approved for PUSD facility upgrades and modernization, Piedmont voters have quadrennially approved, since 1980, a supplemental parcel tax (collected annually) which accounts for a very significant portion of PUSD's basic operational budget. In 2005, two measures were approved by voters, one of which renewed the basic school district parcel tax, paying for 21% of the district's budget, and another which added an incremental amount, short-term, to compensate for reduced funding from mainly state, and some federal, sources. Piedmont's most recent school support tax, Measure A, was again approved by 88% of Piedmont voters in 2012. Due to further reductions in state education budgets during the Great Recession (2008-2011), state diversions from local school property tax allocations since 2004, and shifting of state financial responsibilities onto local school districts, Piedmont's local school parcel tax now represents 30% of PUSD's annual operating budget.

Piedmont High School hosts the annual Leonard J. Waxdeck Bird Calling Contest every spring;the top three winners used to appear on the Late Show with David Letterman and perform their bird calls.

The Piedmont Educational Foundation awards a number of grants for academic innovation in Piedmont schools each year, and provides a source of operational funding for the PUSD through its Endowment Fund which reached $6 million in 2015.

Media

The city is served by two local weekly newspapers: the Piedmont Post and the Piedmonter, a neighborhood newspaper organized under the Contra Costa Times news organization.

Transportation

AC Transit provides Piedmont with bus service. Bus routes 12 and 33 connect Piedmont to Oakland's BART stations. In addition to Route 33 serving BART stations, the route serves Upper Piedmont going to Estates Drive on weekdays. AC Transit also provides a Transbay bus. Route P, to the Transbay Terminal in Downtown San Francisco during peak commute hours.

In literature and the arts

The city appeared in the Disney show Gravity Falls as the hometown of the main characters Dipper and Mabel Pines.

Notable people

See also: Category:People from Piedmont, California

Piedmont is home to a number of notable individuals in the political, business, sports, and academic communities, including: ex-Major League Baseball player David McCarty; ex-National Football League player Bubba Paris, San Francisco 49ers; ex-National Football League player Bill Romanowski; Ambassador to Australia Jeff Bleich; Pete Docter, director of Pixar's Monsters, Inc., Up, and Inside Out and co-writer of WALL-E; Alex Hirsch, the creator of the animated television series Gravity Falls; and Billie Joe Armstrong, lead singer of Green Day. The punk rock band SWMRS also has its roots in Piedmont.

Author Jack London wrote Call of the Wild while living on Blair Avenue in a house that exists today; since this predated incorporation, technically he was never a citizen of Piedmont. John F. Kennedy's Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara grew up in Piedmont, where his family lived on Annerley Road. Clint Eastwood resided in Piedmont and attended Piedmont schools. Country Joe McDonald resided in Piedmont in the 1970s. Actors Dean Butler (Little House on the Prairie) also grew up in Piedmont. Notable tennis player and coach Brad Gilbert grew up in Piedmont. Professional male tennis player Mackenzie "Mackie" McDonald grew up in Piedmont and attended Piedmont HS. Charles R. Schwab, founder of the discount stock brokerage firm bearing his name, and his family also lived in Piedmont in the early 1980s, as did Dean G. Witter, founder of the Dean Witter Reynolds brokerage, in the 1940s.

Other residents have included: F. Wayne Valley, philanthropist, construction magnate, owner of the Oakland Raiders and founding member of the AFL; Frank C. Havens, for whom Havens Elementary School is named; and James Gamble, president of the Western Union Telegraph Company, who, in 1877, founded the Piedmont Land Company, introducing the name adopted by the city upon incorporation.

Actors, entertainment, and film professionals

Academia

Artists and designers

Business

Poets, writers, and journalists

Sports

Others

See also

References

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  2. "Senators". State of California. Retrieved March 18, 2013.
  3. "Members Assembly". State of California. Retrieved March 18, 2013.
  4. "California's 12th Congressional District - Representatives & District Map". Civic Impulse, LLC. Retrieved February 13, 2023.
  5. "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 1, 2020.
  6. "Piedmont". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  7. ^ "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Piedmont city, California". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 26, 2021.
  8. "History of Piedmont". City of Piedmont. Retrieved July 6, 2016.
  9. "How segregated in your Oakland neighborhood". The Oaklandside. June 28, 2021. Retrieved November 11, 2021.
  10. Ravani, Sarah (May 20, 2021). "Piedmont residents wrestle with how to add more housing to exclusive enclave". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved October 8, 2021.
  11. ^ "Why Is There Another City Inside Of Oakland?". KALW. Retrieved October 8, 2021.
  12. Troyer, Aya; Lloyd, Zenobia Pellissier; Lee, Malia. "A Closer Look: A Path Towards Change – The Piedmont Highlander". Retrieved October 8, 2021.
  13. Phillips, Justin (June 13, 2021). "An affluent East Bay city chased out its first Black homeowner a century ago - and still hasn't atoned". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved October 8, 2021.
  14. Bennett, Meghan. "About Sidney Dearing of Piedmont, California". Sidney Dearing. Retrieved May 31, 2022.
  15. "Piedmont, California's History of Redlining". Sidney Dearing. Retrieved October 8, 2021.
  16. Ravani, Sarah (May 20, 2021). "Piedmont residents wrestle with how to add more housing to exclusive enclave". San Francisco Chronicle.
  17. "COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT". City of Piedmont. Retrieved October 8, 2021.
  18. "Piedmont City Council". Retrieved July 7, 2016.
  19. "Piedmont Mayor Resigns After Inflammatory Online Comments". CBS SF. August 27, 2017. Retrieved November 15, 2021.
  20. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  21. "2010 Census Interactive Population Search: CA - Piedmont city". U.S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on July 15, 2014. Retrieved July 12, 2014.
  22. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  23. "10th annual Piedmont School Maker Faire returns to PHS on Sunday". Piedmont Exedra. Retrieved September 9, 2024.
  24. "Piedmont Makers". Retrieved September 9, 2024.
  25. "CA Secretary of State – Report of Registration – February 10, 2019" (PDF). ca.gov. Retrieved March 12, 2019.
  26. "Piedmont, the real Pleasantville". SF Gate. November 1998.
  27. "Piedmont CA Education data". www.towncharts.com. Archived from the original on August 5, 2018. Retrieved August 5, 2018.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  28. "California State Cities - CA City School Rankings". SchoolDigger.
  29. "Piedmont High bird call winners headed for Letterman". InsideBayArea.com. Archived from the original on March 5, 2014.
  30. "Piedmont bird callers chirp their way to the "The Late Show With David Letterman"". ContraCostaTimes.com. Archived from the original on March 4, 2014.
  31. "Piedmont Education Foundation – Supporting PUSD Since 1975". Piedmont Education Foundation.
  32. The Living and the Dead, Paul Hendrickson, A.A. Knopf 1996, p. 45; precise address is 1036 Annerley Road.
  33. "Amonette, Ruth Leach". Obituary. SFGate. June 26, 2004. Retrieved September 9, 2013.
  34. Johnson, Steve (February 4, 2011). "Mercury News interview: Lip-Bu Tan, president and CEO of Cadence Design Systems". San Jose Mercury News. Archived from the original on May 5, 2017.
  35. Piedmont Community Calendar 1997. Historical information about Piedmont written by Ann Swift. Printed 1996 by the City of Piedmont.
  36. Warren, Earl. The Memoirs of Earl Warren. Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, 1977. p 101. Accessed October 30, 2020, from Google Books

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